The present invention relates to a method of treating ulcers comprising administering an effective amount of a particular ingredient contained in a certain plant, for example plants belonging to the Labiatae family, as an effective ingredient to a subject having such ulcers.
Rosemary, alternatively referred to as xe2x80x9cMannenrouxe2x80x9d, which is a plant belonging to the Labiatae family, is widely used in the West as a herb for medicinal, fragrant and cooking purposes. The effectiveness of rosemary when used for medicinal purposes has been variously described for a long time. For example, the compile version (1983) of the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia has described that rosemary has carminative, analgesic, microbicidal, antiseptic, abirritant, diuretic, antimicrobial effects and the like. Also, according to recent Japanese patent publications, a deodorant effect (JP-A-04/173070), an anti-caries effect (JP-A-04/13630), an antioxidant effect (JP-A-03/197595), antiviral and antineoplastic effects (JP-A-04/247054), and a hair growth stimulating effect (JP-A-04/18026) have been disclosed. Furthermore, various effects of an essential oil of rosemary have been numerously reported in the past (for example, the effectiveness of rosemary in aromatotherapy, aromatopia, No.4, p.47). In addition, effects of several components contained in rosemary have been also clarified. For example, Japanese patent publication JP-A-08/119872 clarifies that a Helicobacter growth-inhibiting effect of rosemary extract is attributable to rosmanol or carvacrol contained in the extract.
It is also known that sage, alternatively referred to as xe2x80x9csalviaxe2x80x9d, which is a plant belonging to the Labiatae family, has carminative, antispasmodic, astringent, microbicidal, angiotelectasis, and hypoglycemic effects and the like (xe2x80x9cMedical Herbxe2x80x9d, Japan Vorg Company). Furthermore, according to recent Japanese patent publications, a sage extract is used in testosterone 5xcex1 reductase inhibitors (JP-A-08/310923), skin cosmetics (JP-A-08/109122), metanogenesis inhibitors (JP-A-07/187988) and the like.
The present inventors have intensively searched for a plant extract having a potent curing or prophylactic effect against ulcers such as alcoholic ulcers and stress ulcers, and also intended to clarify effective ingredients contained therein.
The present inventors found, as a consequence of an intensive search, that rosemary and sage extracts have extremely potent curing and prophylactic effects against ulcers. Furthermore, the present inventors found that their effective ingredients are carnosic acid of the formula (I) below and carnosol of the formula (II) below.
Thus, the present invention provides a method of treating ulcers comprising administering an effective amount of carnosic acid and/or carnosol or a plant extract containing carnosic acid and/or carnosol as an effective ingredient to a subject having such ulcers.
Carnosic acid and/or carnosol or a plant extract containing carnosic acid and/or carnosol may be administered in the form of a drug, quasi-drug or food composition.
Also, the present invention provides a method of producing anti-ulcer drug and quasi-drug compositions comprising formulating an effective amount of carnosic acid and/or carnosol or a plant extract containing carnosic acid and/or carnosol as an effective ingredient.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a food composition comprising carnosic acid and/or carnosol, and a method of producing the food composition comprising formulating carnosic acid and/or carnosol.